Pitching Mechanics for Kids: 5 Mistakes Parents Miss

Most parents can spot a mistake when it's obvious. The hard part is the mechanical issues that look fine to the untrained eye but build bad habits over time.

Mistake one: all arm, no body. The pitcher wastes the lower half and finishes by reaching with the arm. Velocity flatlines, soreness goes up.

Mistake two: no balance point. The pitcher rushes through the leg lift and falls forward, throwing off timing for everything that comes after.

Mistake three: leaning back. Trying to gain power by leaning back during the leg lift kills hip-to-shoulder separation and stresses the lower back.

Mistake four: short stride. The legs aren't doing their job. Velocity and command both suffer.

Mistake five: falling off to the side. The pitcher loses balance on follow-through, which means the arm decelerated all by itself — that's where injuries start.

The fix is the same in every case: use the whole body the right way. Soreness goes down, velocity goes up, command improves.